Origins & Early Life

Theodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus (Ancient Greek: Θεοδώρητος Κύρρου; c. 393 – c. 458) was a notable theologian of the School of Antioch, biblical commentator, and bishop of Cyrrhus (423–457). He participated in several 5th-century Christological controversies within the Eastern Roman Church that resulted in various ecumenical acts and schisms.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Theodoret wrote against Cyril of Alexandria's Twelve Anathemas, which were sent to Nestorius, and did not condemn Nestorius until the Council of Chalcedon. Selected writings by Theodoret directed against Cyril formed part of the subject matter of the Three Chapters Controversy and were condemned posthumously at the Second Council of Constantinople (553). He has been accorded the epithet "Blessed" by individuals in the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to the historian Tillemont, he was born at Antioch in 393 and died about 458, either at Cyrrhus (an estimated eighty Roman miles east of Antioch) or at the monastery near Apamea (fifty-four Roman miles southeast of Antioch). Information regarding his life is derived primarily from his Epistles and his Religious History (Philotheos historia).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was the child of a prosperous Antiochene...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Theodoric I — Contemporary (Born in 393) (393): Visigothic King renowned for stopping Attila the Hun at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains.
• Jangsu of Goguryeo — Contemporary figure (Born in 394) (394): 20th King of Goguryeo, who oversaw its golden age and territorial zenith.
• Ammianus Marcellinus — Contemporary figure (Died in 395) (395): Fourth-century Roman historian and soldier, author of the Res gestae.
• Gregory of Nyssa — Contemporary figure (Died in 395) (395): A foundational 4th-century theologian, bishop, and scholar of the Trinity.
• Flavius Aetius — Contemporary figure (Born in 390) (390): Influential Roman general and statesman during the decline of the Western Roman Empire.
• Pope Leo I — Contemporary figure (Born in 390) (390): Bishop of Rome and Doctor of the Church, pivotal figure in early Christian theology.
• Gaiseric — Contemporary figure (Born in 389) (389): Vandal and Alan King who established a major Mediterranean power from North Africa.
• Gregory of Nazianzus — Contemporary figure (Died in 389) (389): A foundational Cappadocian Father and master of Trinitarian theology.
• Ambrose — Contemporary figure (Died in 397) (397): Influential Christian theologian, statesman, and Bishop of Milan in the 4th century.
• Martin of Tours — Contemporary figure (Died in 397) (397): Bishop of Tours and revered Christian saint, known for piety and charity.
• 393 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 393
• 457 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 457